Robot gatekeeper for authentication prior to meeting attendance

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods relate generally to attendee authentication. In a method, a robot gatekeeper has a multi-function printer with program code configured for character recognition and handwriting analysis. The program code is executed by a processor coupled to the memory to initiate operations including: instructing for placement of a hand for a palm vein scanner and a badge for a badge reader; reading a badge to obtain first identification information; reading a palm to obtain first biometric data; accessing a database to obtain second identification information responsive to the first identification information; comparing the first biometric data and second biometric data obtained from the second identification information; printing an anti-tampering feature on a card; scanning a hand written sample on the card; and analyzing the hand written sample scanned with respect to at least one handwriting exemplar in or associated with the second identification information.

FIELD

The following description relates to security. More particularly, thefollowing description relates to authentication prior to meetingattendance using a robot gatekeeper.

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, secure meetings have involved human screeners. However,human screeners may have security limitations.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one or more below described examples, a methodrelating generally to attendee authentication is disclosed. In such amethod, there is a robot gatekeeper having a multi-function printer witha memory to store program code including for character recognition andhandwriting analysis. The program code is executed by a processorcoupled to the memory to initiate operations. The operations include:instructing, by the robot gatekeeper, for placement of a hand for a palmvein scanner and placement of a badge for a badge reader; reading abadge with the badge reader to obtain first identification information;reading a palm of the hand with the palm vein scanner to obtain firstbiometric data; accessing a database to obtain second identificationinformation responsive to the first identification information;comparing the first biometric data and second biometric data obtainedfrom the second identification information; responsive to at least athreshold confidence level between the first biometric data and thesecond biometric data, printing an anti-tampering feature on a card;scanning a hand written sample on the card; and analyzing the handwritten sample scanned with respect to at least one handwriting exemplarin or associated with the second identification information.

In accordance with one or more below described examples, an informationprocessing system relating generally to attendee authentication isdisclosed. In such a system, a robot gatekeeper has a multi-functionprinter with a memory to store program code including for characterrecognition and handwriting analysis. A processor is coupled to thememory and configured to execute the program code to initiateoperations. The operations include: instructing, by the robotgatekeeper, for placement of a hand for a palm vein scanner andplacement of a badge for a badge reader; reading a badge with the badgereader to obtain first identification information; reading a palm of thehand with the palm vein scanner to obtain first biometric data;accessing a database to obtain second identification informationresponsive to the first identification information; comparing the firstbiometric data and second biometric data obtained from the secondidentification information; responsive to at least a thresholdconfidence level between the first biometric data and the secondbiometric data, printing an anti-tampering feature on a card; scanning ahand written sample on the card; and analyzing the hand written samplescanned with respect to at least one handwriting exemplar in orassociated with the second identification information.

Other features will be recognized from consideration of the DetailedDescription and Claims, which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Accompanying drawings show exemplary apparatus(es) and/or method(s).However, the accompanying drawings should not be taken to limit thescope of the claims, but are for explanation and understanding only.

FIG. 1-1 is a block diagram of a front view depicting an example of arobot “gatekeeper” for a meeting or another type of event for attendeeauthentication.

FIG. 1-2 is a block diagram of a right-side view depicting the exampleof the robot gatekeeper of FIG. 1-1 .

FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting an example of an informationprocessing system (“attendee authentication system”) used for a meetingor another type of event for attendee authentication.

FIG. 3-1 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a secure meeting flowfor admitting an attendee to a secure meeting room and processingtherein.

FIG. 3-2 is a flow diagram depicting an example of an authenticationflow.

FIG. 4 is a pictorial diagram depicting an example of a network.

FIG. 5 is block diagram depicting an example of a portable communicationdevice.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram depicting an example of a multi-functionprinter (“MFP”).

FIG. 7 is a block diagram depicting an example of a computer system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth toprovide a more thorough description of the specific examples describedherein. It should be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, thatone or more other examples and/or variations of these examples may bepracticed without all the specific details given below. In otherinstances, well known features have not been described in detail so asnot to obscure the description of the examples herein. For ease ofillustration, the same number labels are used in different diagrams torefer to the same items; however, in alternative examples the items maybe different.

Exemplary apparatus(es) and/or method(s) are described herein. It shouldbe understood that the word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “servingas an example, instance, or illustration.” Any example or featuredescribed herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed aspreferred or advantageous over other examples or features.

Before describing the examples illustratively depicted in the severalfigures, a general introduction is provided to further understanding.

As previously indicated, holding secure meetings can be challenging,including when parties are not all well known to each other. A robotgatekeeper system allows for authentication of each prospectiveattendee, including previously unknown or not well-known parties.

With the above general understanding borne in mind, variousconfigurations for robot authentication systems, and methods therefor,are generally described below.

Reference will now be made in detail to examples which are illustratedin the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the following described implementation examples. Itshould be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that theimplementation examples described below may be practiced without all thespecific details given below. Moreover, the example implementations arenot intended to be exhaustive or to limit scope of this disclosure tothe precise forms disclosed, and modifications and variations arepossible in light of the following teachings or may be acquired frompracticing one or more of the teachings hereof. The implementationexamples were chosen and described in order to best explain principlesand practical applications of the teachings hereof to enable othersskilled in the art to utilize one or more of such teachings in variousimplementation examples and with various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated. In other instances, well-known methods,procedures, components, circuits, and/or networks have not beendescribed in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the describedimplementation examples.

For purposes of explanation, specific nomenclature is set forth toprovide a thorough understanding of the various concepts disclosedherein. However, the terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescribing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting.As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. As used herein, the term “if” may be construed to mean “when”or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,”depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined” or“if [a stated condition or event] is detected” may be construed to mean“upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “upon detecting[the stated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting [thestated condition or event],” depending on the context. It will also beunderstood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to andencompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of theassociated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms“includes” and/or “including,” when used in this specification, specifythe presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof. It will also be understood that,although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describevarious elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms,as these terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.

Some portions of the detailed descriptions that follow are presented interms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on databits, including within a register or a memory. These algorithmicdescriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled inthe data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance oftheir work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, andgenerally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leadingto a desired result. The steps are those involving physicalmanipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily,these quantities take the form of optical, electrical or magneticsignals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, andotherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principallyfor reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values,elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion,it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizingterms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or“determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action andprocesses of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device,that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical(electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers ormemories into other data similarly represented as physical quantitieswithin the computer system memories or registers or other suchinformation storage, transmission or display devices.

Concepts described herein may be embodied as apparatus, method, system,or computer program product. Accordingly, one or more of suchimplementation examples may take the form of an entirely hardwareimplementation example, an entirely software implementation example(including firmware, resident software, and micro-code, among others) oran implementation example combining software and hardware, and forclarity any and all of these implementation examples may generally bereferred to herein as a “circuit,” “module,” “system,” or other suitableterms. Furthermore, such implementation examples may be of the form of acomputer program product on a computer-usable storage medium havingcomputer-usable program code in the medium.

Any suitable computer usable or computer readable medium may beutilized. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, forexample but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical,electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device,or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) ofthe computer-readable medium would include the following: an electricalconnection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, ahard disk, a random access memory (“RAM”), a read-only memory (“ROM”),an erasable programmable read-only memory (“EPROM” or Flash memory), anoptical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (“CD-ROM”), anoptical storage device, a transmission media such as those supportingthe Internet or an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. Thecomputer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper oranother suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as theprogram can be electronically captured, via, for instance, opticalscanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, orotherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then storedin a computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer-usableor computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store,communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or inconnection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.The computer-usable medium may include a propagated data signal with thecomputer-usable program code embodied therewith, either in baseband oras part of a carrier wave. The computer usable program code may betransmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited tothe Internet, wireline, optical fiber cable, radio frequency (“RF”) orother means. For purposes of clarity by way of example and notlimitation, the latter types of media are generally referred to astransitory signal bearing media, and the former types of media aregenerally referred to as non-transitory signal bearing media.

Computer program code for carrying out operations in accordance withconcepts described herein may be written in an object-orientedprogramming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like. However,the computer program code for carrying out such operations may bewritten in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the“C” programming language or similar programming languages. The programcode may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user'scomputer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user'scomputer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remotecomputer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may beconnected to the user's computer through a local area network (“LAN”) ora wide area network (“WAN”), or the connection may be made to anexternal computer (for example, through the Internet using an InternetService Provider).

Systems and methods described herein may relate to an apparatus forperforming the operations associated therewith. This apparatus may bespecially constructed for the purposes identified, or it may include ageneral-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by acomputer program stored in the computer.

Notwithstanding, the algorithms and displays presented herein are notinherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus.Various general-purpose systems may be used with programs in accordancewith the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct amore specialized apparatus to perform the operations. In addition, evenif the following description is with reference to a programminglanguage, it should be appreciated that any of a variety of programminglanguages may be used to implement the teachings as described herein.

One or more examples are described below with reference to flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (includingsystems) and computer program products. It will be understood that eachblock of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, andcombinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or blockdiagrams, may be implemented by computer program instructions. Thesecomputer program instructions may be provided to a processor of ageneral purpose computer, special purpose computer, or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such thatthe instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer orother programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also bestored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readablememory produce an article of manufacture including instruction meanswhich implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also beloaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatusto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computeror other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implementedprocess such that the instructions which execute on the computer orother programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The flowcharts and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof apparatuses (including systems), methods and computer programproducts according to various implementation examples. In this regard,each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module,segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executableinstructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). Itshould also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, thefunctions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in thefigures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, beexecuted substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes beexecuted in the reverse order, depending upon the functionalityinvolved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagramsand/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the blockdiagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by specialpurpose hardware-based systems which perform the specified functions oracts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computerinstructions.

It should be understood that although the flow charts provided hereinshow a specific order of operations, it is understood that the order ofthese operations may differ from what is depicted. Also, two or moreoperations may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence.Such variation will depend on the software and hardware systems chosenand on designer choice. It is understood that all such variations arewithin the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software and webimplementations may be accomplished with standard programming techniqueswith rule-based logic and other logic to accomplish the various databasesearching operations, correlation operations, comparison operations anddecision operations. It should also be understood that the word“component” as used herein is intended to encompass implementationsusing one or more lines of software code, and/or hardwareimplementations, and/or equipment for receiving manual inputs.

FIG. 1-1 is a block diagram of a front view depicting an example of arobot “gatekeeper” 100 for a meeting or another type of event forattendee authentication. FIG. 1-2 is a block diagram of a right-sideview depicting the example of robot gatekeeper 100 of FIG. 1-1 . Robotgatekeeper 100 is further described with simultaneous reference to FIGS.1-1 and 1-2 .

In this example, a robot gatekeeper 100 includes a multi-functionprinter (“MFP”) 105 with computational processing system 116, includinga memory configured to store program code coupled to a processor. Suchprogram code may include a known character recognition and handwritinganalysis engine 117 in communication with a processor of MFP 105.Optionally, a voice recognition and speech engine 118 may be includedfor verbal communication with MFP 105.

Along those lines, a processor of MFP 105 may be coupled to memorythereof where such processor is configured to execute program code, inaddition to such known character recognition and handwriting analysisengine 117 to initiate operations described below in additional detail.

Robot gatekeeper 100 in this example may include an optional automaticdocument feeder (“ADF”) 107, a privacy screen 108, a cantilevered table103, and a housing 102. In this example, housing 102 may include one ormore optional safes; however, in another example one or more optionalsafes may be separate from robot gatekeeper 100. Robot gatekeeper 100may further optionally include a card input slot 121.

Robot gatekeeper 100 may include a dock 106 such as for a digitalassistant 119. Known examples of digital assistants 119 generally arereferred to by their trademarked names, such as for example Cortana,Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri, and Bixby, among others.

In this example of robot gatekeeper 100, MFP 105 includes a display 104,optical sensors 111, a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) or cardchip reader 113, a speaker and microphone 115, an MFP scanner 114, apalm reader scanner (“palm reader”) 112, and an output tray 133. Robotgatekeeper 100 may be located for example in a foyer, anteroom, entryway, or other chamber or chamber-like room leading to a secure meetingroom. For purposes of clarity by way of example and not limitation, afoyer is assumed to be a location of a robot gatekeeper 100.Furthermore, for purposes of clarity by way of example, an RFID reader113 is assumed; however, another type of badge or card reader may beused in another example.

Secure meetings may be held in a secure room. A secure room may beshielded depending upon level of security from electromagnetic, sound,vibration, visual, or other sensory intrusion and/or leakage. A robotgatekeeper 100 may be located outside a secure room in a foyer in orderto perform authentication of prospective meeting attendees. Along thoselines, optionally a safe may be used to temporarily store an attendee'sbelongings prior to permitted entry into a secure meeting room, such asfor safekeeping of any and all electronic devices of each authorizedattendee.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting an example of an informationprocessing system (“attendee authentication system”) 200 used for ameeting or another type of event for attendee authentication. Attendeeauthentication system 200 is further described with simultaneousreference to FIGS. 1-1 through 2 .

Attendee authentication system 200 may include a robot gatekeeper 100positioned in a foyer to a secure meeting space (“secure meeting room”)220. Secure meeting room 220 may include conventional conference roomelectronics for such secure meeting rooms, which may depend upon levelof security. Additionally, an assistant robot 215 may be located insecure meeting room 220.

Assistant robot 215 may be configured with a dictation module 211, anote taking module 212, an electronic lock 213, a digitizer 214, and ashredder 216. Dictation module 211 and note taking module 212 may be forconverting speech to text. However, note taking module 212 may includeboth an audio input and a video input, whereas dictation module 211 maybe include just an audio input.

Assistant robot 215 may include an electronic lock controller 213 forlocking and unlocking an electronic lock to control access to and fromsecure meeting room 220. A digitizer scanner 214, which may include anADF, may be used to digitize attendee notes taken on paper during ameeting. Sheets of paper fed into assistant robot 215 for digitizing arenot returned to an attendee, but rather are shredded by shredder 216 ofassistant robot 215.

Assistant robot 215 may be in communication with a user interface (“UI”)bot 203 of an MFP bot 204 of an MFP 105 of robot gatekeeper 100. An MFPbot 204 may further include an optical character recognition (“OCR”)and/or intelligent character recognition (“ICR”) engine 201 incommunication with UI bot 203. MFP bot 204 may further include a machinelearning handwriting analysis (“ML”) engine 202 in communication with UIbot 203. Known OCR and/or ICR components may be used to provide OCR/ICRengine 201. Furthermore, known machine learning and handwriting analysismay be used to provide ML engine 202.

UI bot 203 may be in communication with one or more of securityclearance components 205. Security clearance components 205 in thisexample include MFP scanner 114, optical sensors 111, RFID reader 113,and palm reader 112. A speaker and microphone 115 may be used for verbalcommunication with robot gatekeeper 100.

Robot gatekeeper 100 may be in communication with a central authoritycloud-based system (“central authority”) 210. Even though in thisexample, a cloud-based central authority 210 is used, in another examplean intranet or other type of network topology may be used for centralauthority 210.

Central authority 210 may include a biometric system 206 and anartificial intelligence (“AI”) analysis system 208. AI analysis system208 may be programmed for handwriting analysis. Biometric system 206 maybe programmed for palm print analysis and optionally retinal analysis.Systems 206 and 208 may be in communication with robot gatekeeper 100for more extensive authentication measures.

Central authority 210 may further include one or more databases (“DB”)209 under control of a document management system (“DMS”) 207 or thelike. DMS 207 may be in communication with robot gatekeeper 100 and DB209 for managed control to obtain data from and store data in DB 209.For example, dictation notes by dictation module 211 and/or digitizednotes by digitizer scanner 214 may be entered into DMS 207 for storingin DB 209.

For authentication, a “marked” paper is used for having a person writesomething for handwriting and make sure they are writing it themselvesfor providing an answer to challenge response. This may be used to avoidhaving store facial and/or voice information of operatives, in order tokeep such information more secure by not having it accessible at thislocation. For example, facial and/or voice recognition informationfalling into the hands of an adversary could be used for remoteidentification, such as by video and/or audio surveillance. Having aperson provide one or more writing samples to one or more challengesalong with vein scanning may be used to avoid accessing stored facialand/or voice personal identifying information at this location.

FIG. 3-1 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a secure meeting flow300 for admitting an attendee to a secure meeting room and processingtherein. FIG. 3-2 is a flow diagram depicting an example of anauthentication flow 350. Secure meeting flow 300 and authentication flow350 are further described with simultaneous reference to FIGS. 1-1through 3-2 .

In an example, for authentication of a prospective meeting attendee,attendee authentication system 200, and particularly robot gatekeeper100 thereof, may use a combination of challenge response questions,handwriting analysis, and palm vein identification. Opticalbody/skeletal tracking may be used too, as described below in additionaldetail. Any of a variety of combinations of operations may be used, andthese combinations may change from time to time to enhance security.Accordingly, example flows are described; however, these flows may useother security features in other examples.

At operation 302, a prospective attendee 301 may submit personal andother identification information to a robot gatekeeper 100 as part of aclearance request 312. This input may include scanning a driver'slicense, a passport, and/or other personal identification information.Thus, at operation 351 a robot gatekeeper 100 with an MFP 105 may bepresent in a foyer to a secure meeting room 220. Responsive to aclearance request, at operation 352 program code may be executed by aprogrammed processor or processor system of a robot gatekeeper 100, ormore particularly of an MFP 105 thereof.

Secure meeting flow 300 is described hereinafter. Following descriptionof secure meeting flow 300, authentication flow 350, which may beperformed locally without a central authority 210, or as part of securemeeting flow with a central authority 210, is described after thefollowing description of secure meeting flow 300.

At operation 303, an RFID tag may be scanned into a robot gatekeeper100, and a request 313 to verify such tag may be provided to a centralauthority 210. At operation 304, a central authority 210 mayauthenticate, or not, such tag. For purposes of clarity and notlimitation, it is assumed that a tag is authenticated.

At operation 305 in response to confirmation 314 of authentication fromcentral authority 210 to robot gatekeeper 100, a palm may be scanned inat operation 305 using a palm reader 112 to provide a request 315 toverify veins of such palm may authenticate, or not, such palm. Forpurposes of clarity and not limitation, it is assumed that a palm isauthenticated remotely, such as by a central authority 210; however, inanother example a palm may be authenticated locally by a robotgatekeeper 100.

At operation 306, a central authority 210 may authenticate a palm. Inresponse to authentication, a confirmation 316 may be sent from centralauthority 210 to robot gatekeeper 100. In response to such confirmation,at operation 307 a recognition operation, such as an OCR and/or ICRoperation, may be performed on a handwriting sample scanned in at suchoperation.

A request 317 for authentication of such handwriting example may be sentfrom robot gatekeeper 100 to central authority 210 for authentication,or not, such handwritten exemplar. For purposes of clarity and notlimitation, it is assumed that a handwritten exemplar is authenticated.

At operation 308, a central authority 210 may authenticate a handwritingexemplar, and provide a confirmation 318 of such authentication to robotgatekeeper. Other security operations with examples, requests,authentications, and corresponding confirmations may be performed inother examples.

After confirmation of authentication of each security check, a securityclearance complete verification operation 309 may be performed.Responsive to completion and confirmation of each authentication, accessto a secure meeting room 220 may be granted at operation 319. If anyauthentication fails to be confirmed, a prospective attendee may bedenied access at operation 319 to a secure meeting room 220.

Responsive to passing all authentications, a code for at least one of asafe or a secure meeting room, or separate codes for each, may be issuedat operation 321 for such access to a secure meeting room 220. Forsecurity reasons, a code may be sent to an assistant robot 215 or anelectronic lock to such secure meeting room, or both. Such a code may bea random code assigned for entry into a secure meeting room 220. Such arandom code may be sent with confirmation 322, and so a prospectiveattendee may input such an assigned random code into an electronic lockfor entry at access check operation 323. As an assistant robot 215 maytoo have such an assigned code for an access check operation 323, anassistant robot 215 may be used to control an electronic lockingmechanism to secure meeting room 220.

After a correct access code is entered at operation 323, a confirmation324 may be sent to assistant robot 215. In response, assistant robot 215may begin taking meeting notes at note taking operation 325 with notetaking module 212. Furthermore, a dictation module 211 may be invoked,such as for a meeting summary or other post-meeting activity.

Furthermore, for notes taken by one or more meeting attendees, suchnotes may be submitted at operation 326 to assistant robot 215.Assistant robot 215 may scan in such notes using one or more of OCR orICR with digitizer scanner 214 at operation 327. Paper notes submittedmay then be shredded by shredder 216 at operation 327. Digitized notesmay be sent at operation 329 to central authority 210 for saving atoperation 329, such as for subsequent access via DMS 207.

With renewed reference to authentication flow 350, at operation 353, arobot gatekeeper 100 may instruct for placement of a hand for a palmvein scanner, such as a palm reader 112, and instruct for placement of abadge for a badge reader, such as RFID reader 113.

At operation 354, a badge may be read with a badge reader, such as RFIDreader 113 to obtain source identification information. At operation355, a palm of a hand may be read with palm vein scanner, such as palmreader 112, to obtain source biometric data.

Robot gatekeeper 100 may be configured for body and/or skeletaltracking, such tracking module 222 in communication with optical sensors111. Such tracking may be used to ensure a person's hand does not moveoutside a bounded region. Such tracking may be used to ensure a false orextra hand is not supplied. Such tracking may be used for handwritingevaluation too to ensure a handwriting sample in response to a challengequestion is an original from a prospective attendee, and not apre-written substitute.

At operation 356, a database, such as DB 209 or a local database 223,may be accessed to obtain stored identification information responsiveto such source identification information. At operation 357, such sourcebiometric data may be compared with stored biometric data obtained fromsuch stored identification information. Furthermore, at operation 357other source identification information may be compared withcorresponding stored identification information, such as informationconventionally appearing on a driver's license, identification card,and/or a passport for example.

At operation 358, it may be determined within a greater than 90 percentconfidence level that stored and source biometric data agree.Furthermore, at operation 358 it may optionally be determined that allidentification information as between badge read source identificationinformation, apart from source biometric data, exactly matchcorresponding stored identification information. Responsive to at leasta threshold confidence level between source biometric data and storedbiometric data, and optionally an exact match for source and storedidentification information, a card may be printed and dispensed, such asvia output tray 133, with an anti-tampering feature and a question for achallenge response on such a card.

Robot gatekeeper 100 may pose a challenge response by printing a cardwith a question for a prospective attendee to answer by writing on suchcard. Such card may have anti-tampering features such as a sequence orrandom number. After writing a challenge response on such a card, such ahand written sample on such a card may be scanned in, such as by scanner114, or fed into a destination slot, such as card input slot 121, ofrobot gatekeeper 100 at operation 361. Robot gatekeeper 100 may OCRand/or ICRs such card using OCR/ICR engine 201, and then compare ananswer on such a card to an answer stored in database 223 or DB 209 inassociation with obtained stored identification information.Furthermore, robot gatekeeper 100 may be programmed to encrypt or otherform of indirect, obfuscated representation of such handwriting exemplarin combination with some or all of such stored identificationinformation. A challenge question may be tied to a challenge responsestored in a secure format with stored identification information. Ifonly local to robot gatekeeper 100, such a secure format may include ahash of associated with a portion of such stored identificationinformation.

In another example, a prospective attendee may be issued a card printedwith a randomly chosen phrase or sentence. A handwritten response may bemade on such card by a prospective attendee to such phrase or sentence,and such a prospective attendee may feed such card into card input slot121.

After robot gatekeeper 100 scans such a card, at operation 362 such ahand written sample scanned may be analyzed, such as for examplecompared with respect to at least one handwriting exemplar in orassociated with retrieved stored identification information. Robotgatekeeper 100 conducts handwriting analysis with ML engine 202 inunsupervised machine learning. In another example, a scanned card may bedigitally sent for a person to determine manually by comparing itagainst sample in DB 209. In this other example, both ML engine 202 andsending a digital version to central authority 210 may be used forsupervised machine learning.

If at operation 358 it is determined there is not a match between storedand badge identification information or failure to achieve of asufficient confidence level for biometric data said to be a match, thenat operation 359 such a prospective attendee may be reported to anadministrative authority. Similarly, at operation 363, it may bedetermined whether a handwriting sample has achieved a sufficientconfidence level so as to be said to match and whether a response to achallenge phrase or sentence is correct, namely an exact match. If atoperation 363 it is determined there is not a match between a responseto a challenge phrase or sentence and a stored version, or failure toachieve of a sufficient confidence level between a stored handwritingexemplary and one sourced from a prospective attendee, then at operation359 such a prospective attendee may be reported to an administrativeauthority.

Robot gatekeeper 100 may collect handwriting samples to conduct“handwriting analysis” when deciding whether a party should be permittedentry to a secure meeting space. Robot gatekeeper 100 may conductsOCR/ICR locally. Along those lines, MFP 105 can use a combination ofhandwritten samples and corresponding original requested phrase/text toimprove its OCR/ICR models via locally run machine learning. Suchsamples and original text combinations can be sent to DB 209 for furtherprocessing by central authority 210. Central authority 210 may haveadditional written samples and original text combinations from a varietyof MFPs 105, which may result in machine learning constructing/improvingmodels better.

Along those lines, optionally after and/or during a meeting, assistantrobot 215 gatekeeper may process an attendee's handwritten notes,scanning them, digitizing them, such as via OCR/ICR, and storing adigitized version in database 223 and/or DB 209. MFP 105 can use suchhandwritten notes to improve its machine learning OCR/ICR models. Due toa potentially sensitive nature of such notes, such notes in someinstances may not be sent to a central authority 210 in whole or inpart. MFP 105 may be configured to find whitelisted dictionary words,namely to avoid sensitive materials, that it recognizes via existingOCR/ICR, as well as words that meet a confidence level threshold. Forexample, detecting a word or phrase with a low confidence may mean anunusual term or phrase is used, namely possibly a confidential word.These words may be sent to a central database along with a correspondingtext image for further processing to improve an OCR/ICR model viamachine learning.

Handwriting samples from potential attendees can be used for predictionof age, gender, and/or nationality. Handwriting samples obtained by arobot gatekeeper 100 can be used to improve or create models forprediction of age, gender, and/or nationality. These models can be usedin other security-style applications, such as for example vetting peoplefilling out government/company application forms, potentially detectingmismatches in declared age, gender, and/or nationality.

Responsive to a challenge response being correct and achieving asufficient confidence level between a stored handwriting example and onejust sourced from a prospective attendee matching, at operation 364 acode for at least one of a safe or a secure meeting room may be issued.A same code may be issued for both a safe and a secure meeting room, ordifferent codes may be issued for a safe and a secure meeting room. Anauthenticated person who has been granted access to a secure meeting mayplace their belongings in a safe, such as in a foyer, or place suchbelongings in a safe-like compartment of robot gatekeeper 100.

Once a secure meeting is underway, there may be additional personswishing to join the meeting. A robot gatekeeper can authenticate eachnew person, and existing attendees can communicate with robot gatekeeper100 via assistant robot 215 to indicate if, and when, a new participantshould be allowed to enter.

Assistant robot 215 can be thought of a “Echo” like device or similardevice that supports dictation note taking. Meeting attendees can pressstart/end dictation buttons, or ask assistant robot 215 to start/enddictation. Assistant robot 215 can chime in when an authenticatedmeeting goer is waiting in a foyer to join. Assistant robot 215 mayinclude a lock controller 213 to lock/unlock a secure meeting room 220for admittance of new attendees.

Optionally, during a secure meeting, persons can take hand written noteson paper and later provide these notes to robot gatekeeper 100 fordigitization using a platen and/or ADF such as of or associated withscanner 114 and later physical destruction. In this example, robotgatekeeper 100 includes a shredder 216; however, an internal furnace orpartial chemical means may be used in other examples. In anotherexample, by providing identification and palm vein scan serving asidentification per user on leaving a meeting, such user may have notesscanned. After scanning such notes via an ADF or platen, a user may keepsuch notes or deposit them in a shredder 216.

Notes and/or dictation that are digitized may be provided to a DMS 207for storing. Permissions for those attending users may be set for accessto such notes. If meeting attendees arrive late, leave early, orotherwise only attend a portion of a meeting, their dictation and notesmay be identified for only a portion of attendance.

Because one or more of the examples described herein may be implementedin using an information processing system, a detailed description ofexamples of each of a network (such as for a Cloud-based SaaSimplementation), a computing system, a mobile device, and an MFP isprovided. However, it should be understood that other configurations ofone or more of these examples may benefit from the technology describedherein.

FIG. 4 is a pictorial diagram depicting an example of a network 400,which may be used to provide a SaaS platform for hosting a service ormicro service for use by a user device, as described herein. Along thoselines, network 400 may include one or more mobile phones, pads/tablets,notebooks, and/or other web-usable devices 401 in wired and/or wirelesscommunication with a wired and/or wireless access point (“AP”) 403connected to or of a wireless router. Furthermore, one or more of suchweb-usable wireless devices 401 may be in wireless communication with abase station 413. Additionally, a desktop computer and/or a printingdevice, such as for example a multi-function printer (“MFP”) 402, eachof which may be web-usable devices, may be in wireless and/or wiredcommunication to and from router 404.

Wireless AP 403 may be connected for communication with a router 404,which in turn may be connected to a modem 405. Modem 405 and basestation 413 may be in communication with an Internet-Cloudinfrastructure 407, which may include public and/or private networks.

A firewall 406 may be in communication with such an Internet-Cloudinfrastructure 407. Firewall 406 may be in communication with auniversal device service server 408. Universal device service server 408may be in communication with a content server 409, a web server 414,and/or an app server 412. App server 412, as well as a network 400, maybe used for downloading an app or one or more components thereof foraccessing and using a service or a micro service as described herein.

FIG. 5 is block diagram depicting an example of a portable communicationdevice (“mobile device”) 520. Mobile device 520 may be an example of amobile device, as previously described.

Mobile device 520 may include a wireless interface 510, an antenna 511,an antenna 512, an audio processor 513, a speaker 514, and a microphone(“mic”) 519, a display 521, a display controller 522, a touch-sensitiveinput device 523, a touch-sensitive input device controller 524, amicroprocessor or microcontroller 525, a position receiver 526, a mediarecorder and processor 527, a cell transceiver 528, and a memory ormemories (“memory”) 530.

Microprocessor or microcontroller 525 may be programmed to controloverall operation of mobile device 520. Microprocessor ormicrocontroller 525 may include a commercially available or custommicroprocessor or microcontroller.

Memory 530 may be interconnected for communication with microprocessoror microcontroller 525 for storing programs and data used by mobiledevice 520. Memory 530 generally represents an overall hierarchy ofmemory devices containing software and data used to implement functionsof mobile device 520. Data and programs or apps as described hereinabovemay be stored in memory 530.

Memory 530 may include, for example, RAM or other volatile solid-statememory, flash or other non-volatile solid-state memory, a magneticstorage medium such as a hard disk drive, a removable storage media, orother suitable storage means. In addition to handling voicecommunications, mobile device 520 may be configured to transmit, receiveand process data, such as Web data communicated to and from a Webserver, text messages (also known as short message service or SMS),electronic mail messages, multimedia messages (also known as MMS), imagefiles, video files, audio files, ring tones, streaming audio, streamingvideo, data feeds (e.g., podcasts), and so forth.

In this example, memory 530 stores drivers, such as I/O device drivers,and operating system programs (“OS”) 537. Memory 530 stores applicationprograms (“apps”) 535 and data 536. Data may include application programdata.

I/O device drivers may include software routines accessed throughmicroprocessor or microcontroller 525 or by an OS stored in memory 530.Apps, to communicate with devices such as the touch-sensitive inputdevice 523 and keys and other user interface objects adaptivelydisplayed on a display 521, may use one or more of such drivers.

Mobile device 520, such as a mobile or cell phone, includes a display521. Display 521 may be operatively coupled to and controlled by adisplay controller 522, which may be a suitable microcontroller ormicroprocessor programmed with a driver for operating display 521.

Touch-sensitive input device 523 may be operatively coupled to andcontrolled by a touch-sensitive input device controller 524, which maybe a suitable microcontroller or microprocessor. Along those lines,touching activity input via touch-sensitive input device 523 may becommunicated to touch-sensitive input device controller 524.Touch-sensitive input device controller 524 may optionally include localstorage 529.

Touch-sensitive input device controller 524 may be programmed with adriver or application program interface (“API”) for apps 535. An app maybe associated with a service, as previously described herein, for use ofa SaaS. One or more aspects of above-described apps may operate in aforeground or background mode.

Microprocessor or microcontroller 525 may be programmed to interfacedirectly touch-sensitive input device 523 or through touch-sensitiveinput device controller 524. Microprocessor or microcontroller 525 maybe programmed or otherwise configured to interface with one or moreother interface device(s) of mobile device 520. Microprocessor ormicrocontroller 525 may be interconnected for interfacing with atransmitter/receiver (“transceiver”) 528, audio processing circuitry,such as an audio processor 513, and a position receiver 526, such as aglobal positioning system (“GPS”) receiver. An antenna 511 may becoupled to transceiver 528 for bi-directional communication, such ascellular and/or satellite communication.

Mobile device 520 may include a media recorder and processor 527, suchas a still camera, a video camera, an audio recorder, or the like, tocapture digital pictures, audio and/or video. Microprocessor ormicrocontroller 525 may be interconnected for interfacing with mediarecorder and processor 527. Image, audio and/or video filescorresponding to the pictures, songs and/or video may be stored inmemory 530 as data 536.

Mobile device 520 may include an audio processor 513 for processingaudio signals, such as for example audio information transmitted by andreceived from transceiver 528. Microprocessor or microcontroller 525 maybe interconnected for interfacing with audio processor 513. Coupled toaudio processor 513 may be one or more speakers 514 and one or moremicrophones 519, for projecting and receiving sound, including withoutlimitation recording sound, via mobile device 520. Audio data may bepassed to audio processor 513 for playback. Audio data may include, forexample, audio data from an audio file stored in memory 530 as data 536and retrieved by microprocessor or microcontroller 525. Audio processor513 may include buffers, decoders, amplifiers and the like.

Mobile device 520 may include one or more local wireless interfaces 510,such as a WIFI interface, an infrared transceiver, and/or an RF adapter.Wireless interface 510 may provide a Bluetooth adapter, a WLAN adapter,an Ultra-Wideband (“UWB”) adapter, and/or the like. Wireless interface510 may be interconnected to an antenna 512 for communication. As isknown, a wireless interface 510 may be used with an accessory, such asfor example a hands-free adapter and/or a headset. For example, audibleoutput sound corresponding to audio data may be transferred from mobiledevice 520 to an adapter, another mobile radio terminal, a computer, oranother electronic device. In another example, wireless interface 510may be for communication within a cellular network or another WirelessWide-Area Network (WWAN).

FIG. 6 is a block diagram depicting an example of a multi-functionprinter (MFP) 600. MFP 600 is provided for purposes of clarity by way ofnon-limiting example. MFP 600 is an example of an information processingsystem.

MFP 600 includes a control unit 601, a storage unit 602, an imagereading unit 603, an operation panel unit 604, a print/imaging unit 605,and a communication unit 606. Communication unit 606 may be coupled to anetwork for communication with other peripherals, mobile devices,computers, servers, and/or other electronic devices.

Control unit 601 may include a CPU 611, an image processing unit 612,and cache memory 613. Control unit 601 may be included with or separatefrom other components of MFP 600. Storage unit 602 may include ROM, RAM,and large capacity storage memory, such as for example an HDD or an SSD.Storage unit 602 may store various types of data and control programs,including without limitation a printer driver 614. A buffer queue, suchas buffer queue may be located in cache memory 613 or storage unit 602.

Operation panel unit 604 may include a display panel 641, a touch panel642, and hard keys 643. Print/imaging unit 605 may include a sheetfeeder unit 651, a sheet conveyance unit 652, and an imaging unit 653.

Generally, for example, for an MFP a copy image processing unit, ascanner image processing unit, and a printer image processing unit mayall be coupled to respective direct memory access controllers forcommunication with a memory controller for communication with a memory.Many known details regarding MFP 600 are not described for purposes ofclarity and not limitation.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram depicting an example of a computer system 700upon which one or more aspects described herein may be implemented.Computer system 700 may include a programmed computing device 710coupled to one or more display devices 701, such as Cathode Ray Tube(“CRT”) displays, plasma displays, Liquid Crystal Displays (“LCDs”),Light Emitting Diode (“LED”) displays, light emitting polymer displays(“LPDs”) projectors and to one or more input devices 706, such as akeyboard and a cursor pointing device. Other known configurations of acomputer system may be used. Computer system 700 by itself or networkedwith one or more other computer systems 700 may provide an informationhandling/processing system.

Programmed computing device 710 may be programmed with a suitableoperating system, which may include Mac OS, Java Virtual Machine,Real-Time OS Linux, Solaris, iOS, Darwin, Android Linux-based OS, Linux,OS-X, UNIX, or a Windows operating system, among other platforms,including without limitation an embedded operating system, such asVxWorks. Programmed computing device 710 includes a central processingunit (“CPU”) 704, one or more memories and/or storage devices (“memory”)705, and one or more input/output (“I/O”) interfaces (“I/O interface”)702. Programmed computing device 710 may optionally include an imageprocessing unit (“IPU”) 707 coupled to CPU 704 and one or moreperipheral cards 709 coupled to I/O interface 702. Along those lines,programmed computing device 710 may include graphics memory 708 coupledto optional IPU 707.

CPU 704 may be a type of microprocessor known in the art, such asavailable from IBM, Intel, ARM, and Advanced Micro Devices for example.CPU 704 may include one or more processing cores. Support circuits (notshown) may include busses, cache, power supplies, clock circuits, dataregisters, and the like.

Memory 705 may be directly coupled to CPU 704 or coupled through I/Ointerface 702. At least a portion of an operating system may be disposedin memory 705. Memory 705 may include one or more of the following:flash memory, random access memory, read only memory, magneto-resistiveread/write memory, optical read/write memory, cache memory, magneticread/write memory, and the like, as well as non-transitorysignal-bearing media as described below. For example, memory 705 mayinclude an SSD, which is coupled to I/O interface 702, such as throughan NVMe-PCIe bus, SATA bus or other bus. Moreover, one or more SSDs maybe used, such as for NVMe, RAID or other multiple drive storage forexample.

I/O interface 702 may include chip set chips, graphics processors,and/or daughter cards, among other known circuits. In this example, I/Ointerface 702 may be a Platform Controller Hub (“PCH”). I/O interface702 may be coupled to a conventional keyboard, network, mouse, camera,microphone, display printer, and interface circuitry adapted to receiveand transmit data, such as data files and the like.

Programmed computing device 710 may optionally include one or moreperipheral cards 709. An example of a daughter or peripheral card mayinclude a network interface card (“NIC”), a display interface card, amodem card, and a Universal Serial Bus (“USB”) interface card, amongother known circuits. Optionally, one or more of these peripherals maybe incorporated into a motherboard hosting CPU 704 and I/O interface702. Along those lines, IPU 707 may be incorporated into CPU 704 and/ormay be of a separate peripheral card.

Programmed computing device 710 may be coupled to a number of clientcomputers, server computers, or any combination thereof via aconventional network infrastructure, such as a company's Intranet and/orthe Internet, for example, allowing distributed use. Moreover, a storagedevice, such as an SSD for example, may be directly coupled to such anetwork as a network drive, without having to be directly internally orexternally coupled to programmed computing device 710. However, forpurposes of clarity and not limitation, it shall be assumed that an SSDis housed in programmed computing device 710.

Memory 705 may store all or portions of one or more programs or data,including variables or intermediate information during execution ofinstructions by CPU 704, to implement processes in accordance with oneor more examples hereof to provide program product 720. Program product720 may be for implementing portions of process flows, as describedherein. Additionally, those skilled in the art will appreciate that oneor more examples hereof may be implemented in hardware, software, or acombination of hardware and software. Such implementations may include anumber of processors or processor cores independently executing variousprograms, dedicated hardware and/or programmable hardware.

Along those lines, implementations related to use of computing device710 for implementing techniques described herein may be performed bycomputing device 710 in response to CPU 704 executing one or moresequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory of memory705. Such instructions may be read into such main memory from anothermachine-readable medium, such as a storage device of memory 705.Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory maycause CPU 704 to perform one or more process steps described herein. Inalternative implementations, hardwired circuitry may be used in place ofor in combination with software instructions for such implementations.Thus, the example implementations described herein should not beconsidered limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry andsoftware, unless expressly stated herein otherwise.

One or more program(s) of program product 720, as well as documentsthereof, may define functions of examples hereof and can be contained ona variety of non-transitory tangible signal-bearing media, such ascomputer- or machine-readable media having code, which include, but arenot limited to: (i) information permanently stored on non-writablestorage media (e.g., read-only memory devices within a computer such asCD-ROM or DVD-ROM disks readable by a CD-ROM drive or a DVD drive); or(ii) alterable information stored on writable storage media (e.g.,floppy disks within a diskette drive or flash drive or hard-disk driveor read/writable CD or read/writable DVD).

Computer readable storage media encoded with program code may bepackaged with a compatible device or provided separately from otherdevices. In addition, program code may be encoded and transmitted viawired optical, and/or wireless networks conforming to a variety ofprotocols, including the Internet, thereby allowing distribution, e.g.,via Internet download. In implementations, information downloaded fromthe Internet and other networks may be used to provide program product720. Such transitory tangible signal-bearing media, when carryingcomputer-readable instructions that direct functions hereof, representimplementations hereof.

Along those lines the term “tangible machine-readable medium” or“tangible computer-readable storage” or the like refers to any tangiblemedium that participates in providing data that causes a machine tooperate in a specific manner. In an example implemented using computersystem 700, tangible machine-readable media are involved, for example,in providing instructions to CPU 704 for execution as part of programmedproduct 720. Thus, a programmed computing device 710 may includeprogrammed product 720 embodied in a tangible machine-readable medium.Such a medium may take many forms, including those describe above.

The term “transmission media”, which includes coaxial cables, conductivewire and fiber optics, including traces or wires of a bus, may be usedin communication of signals, including a carrier wave or any othertransmission medium from which a computer can read. Transmission mediacan also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as thosegenerated during radio-wave and infra-red data communications.

Various forms of tangible signal-bearing machine-readable media may beinvolved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructionsto CPU 704 for execution. For example, instructions may initially becarried on a magnetic disk or other storage media of a remote computer.The remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memoryand send such instructions over a transmission media using a modem. Amodem local to computer system 700 can receive such instructions on suchtransmission media and use an infra-red transmitter to convert suchinstructions to an infra-red signal. An infra-red detector can receivesuch instructions carried in such infra-red signal and appropriatecircuitry can place such instructions on a bus of computing device 710for writing into main memory, from which CPU 704 can retrieve andexecute such instructions. Instructions received by main memory mayoptionally be stored on a storage device either before or afterexecution by CPU 704.

Computer system 700 may include a communication interface as part of I/Ointerface 702 coupled to a bus of computing device 710. Such acommunication interface may provide a two-way data communicationcoupling to a network link connected to a local network 722. Forexample, such a communication interface may be a local area network(“LAN”) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatibleLAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation,a communication interface sends and receives electrical, electromagneticor optical signals that carry digital and/or analog data andinstructions in streams representing various types of information.

A network link to local network 722 may provide data communicationthrough one or more networks to other data devices. For example, anetwork link may provide a connection through local network 722 to ahost computer 724 or to data equipment operated by an Internet ServiceProvider (“ISP”) 726 or another Internet service provider. ISP 726 mayin turn provide data communication services through a world-wide packetdata communication network, the “Internet” 728. Local network 722 andthe Internet 728 may both use electrical, electromagnetic or opticalsignals that carry analog and/or digital data streams. Data carryingsignals through various networks, which carry data to and from computersystem 700, are exemplary forms of carrier waves for transportinginformation.

Wireless circuitry of I/O interface 702 may be used to send and receiveinformation over a wireless link or network to one or more otherdevices' conventional circuitry such as an antenna system, an RFtransceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner, one or more oscillators, adigital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, memory, and the like. In someimplementations, wireless circuitry may be capable of establishing andmaintaining communications with other devices using one or morecommunication protocols, including time division multiple access (TDMA),code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobilecommunications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), widebandcode division multiple access (W-CDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE),LTE-Advanced, WIFI (such as IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11gand/or IEEE 802.11n), Bluetooth, Wi-MAX, voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP), near field communication protocol (NFC), a protocol for email,instant messaging, and/or a short message service (SMS), or any othersuitable communication protocol. A computing device can include wirelesscircuitry that can communicate over several different types of wirelessnetworks depending on the range required for the communication. Forexample, a short-range wireless transceiver (e.g., Bluetooth), amedium-range wireless transceiver (e.g., WIFI), and/or a long rangewireless transceiver (e.g., GSM/GPRS, UMTS, CDMA2000, EV-DO, andLTE/LTE-Advanced) can be used depending on the type of communication orthe range of the communication.

Computer system 700 can send messages and receive data, includingprogram code, through network(s) via a network link and communicationinterface of I/O interface 702. In the Internet example, a server 730might transmit a requested code for an application program throughInternet 728, ISP 726, local network 722 and I/O interface 702. Aserver/Cloud-based system 730 may include a backend application forproviding one or more applications or services as described herein.Received code may be executed by processor 704 as it is received, and/orstored in a storage device, or other non-volatile storage, of memory 705for later execution. In this manner, computer system 700 may obtainapplication code in the form of a carrier wave.

While the foregoing describes exemplary apparatus(es) and/or method(s),other and further examples in accordance with the one or more aspectsdescribed herein may be devised without departing from the scope hereof,which is determined by the claims that follow and equivalents thereof.Claims listing steps do not imply any order of the steps. Trademarks arethe property of their respective owners.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for attendee authentication, comprising:having a robot gatekeeper with a multi-function printer with a memory tostore program code including for character recognition and handwritinganalysis; and executing the program code by a processor coupled to thememory to initiate operations for: instructing, by the robot gatekeeper,for placement of a hand for a palm vein scanner and placement of a badgefor a badge reader; reading a badge with the badge reader to obtainfirst identification information; reading a palm of the hand with thepalm vein scanner to obtain first biometric data; accessing a databaseto obtain second identification information responsive to the firstidentification information; comparing the first biometric data andsecond biometric data obtained from the second identificationinformation; responsive to at least a threshold confidence level betweenthe first biometric data and the second biometric data, printing ananti-tampering feature on a card; scanning a hand written sample on thecard; and analyzing the hand written sample scanned with respect to atleast one handwriting exemplar in or associated with the secondidentification information.
 2. The method according to claim 1, whereinthe badge reader is a Radio Frequency Identification reader.
 3. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing is performed withunsupervised machine learning.
 4. The method according to claim 1,wherein the analyzing is performed with supervised machine learning. 5.The method according to claim 1, wherein the printing includes printinga challenge question from the second identification information on thecard with the anti-tampering feature.
 6. The method according to claim5, wherein the challenge question is tied to a challenge response storedin a secure format with the second identification information.
 7. Themethod according to claim 6, wherein the secure format includesencrypting the challenge response.
 8. The method according to claim 7,further comprising, responsive to the challenge response being correct,issuing a code for at least one of a safe and a secure meeting room. 9.The method according to claim 1, further comprising skeletal tracking toensure the placement of the hand does not move outside a bounded region.10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising skeletaltracking to ensure the hand written sample on the card is an originalfrom a prospective attendee.
 11. An information processing system forattendee authentication, comprising: a robot gatekeeper having amulti-function printer with a memory to store program code including forcharacter recognition and handwriting analysis; and a processor coupledto the memory and configured to execute the program code to initiateoperations for: instructing, by the robot gatekeeper, for placement of ahand for a palm vein scanner and placement of a badge for a badgereader; reading a badge with the badge reader to obtain firstidentification information; reading a palm of the hand with the palmvein scanner to obtain first biometric data; accessing a database toobtain second identification information responsive to the firstidentification information; comparing the first biometric data andsecond biometric data obtained from the second identificationinformation; responsive to at least a threshold confidence level betweenthe first biometric data and the second biometric data, printing ananti-tampering feature on a card; scanning a hand written sample on thecard; and analyzing the hand written sample scanned with respect to atleast one handwriting exemplar in or associated with the secondidentification information.
 12. The information processing systemaccording to claim 11, wherein the badge reader is a Radio FrequencyIdentification reader.
 13. The information processing system accordingto claim 11, wherein the analyzing is performed with unsupervisedmachine learning.
 14. The information processing system according toclaim 11, wherein the analyzing is performed with supervised machinelearning.
 15. The information processing system according to claim 11,wherein the printing includes printing a challenge question from thesecond identification information on the card with the anti-tamperingfeature.
 16. The information processing system according to claim 15,wherein the challenge question is tied to a challenge response stored ina secure format with the second identification information.
 17. Theinformation processing system according to claim 16, wherein the secureformat includes an encryption of the challenge response.
 18. Theinformation processing system according to claim 16, further comprising,responsive to the challenge response being correct, issuing a code forat least one of a safe and a secure meeting room.
 19. The informationprocessing system according to claim 16, further comprising skeletaltracking to ensure the placement of the hand does not move outside abounded region.
 20. The information processing system according to claim16, further comprising skeletal tracking to ensure the hand writtensample on the card is an original from a prospective attendee.